Robebt hale



RCBERTIEIALE, CF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Letters PatentNa. 73,802, datedJanuary 28, 1868.

IMPROVED'COUCH 0R CRADLE.

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To ALL WHOM 1T MAY ooNcERN:

Be it known that I, ROBERT HALE, of' Chicago, in the county of Cook, andState of Illinois, have invented a new and improved Couch or Cradle; andI do hereby declare that 'the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part vot' this specication.

Figure lis a perspective view-of my improved couch or cradle.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same, partly in section, through the linewx, tig. 3.

Figure 3`is a cross-section ot' the same, taken through the line yy,tig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved suspended couchor cradle designed especially for children, but equally applicable forother persons, which shall be cheap, durable, simple in construction,and portable, being capable of being packed in a very small space, andcarried in a travelling-basket or Satchel; and it consists of animproved suspended couch or cradle, constructed and arranged ashereinafter more fully described. i

A is a frame, which may be made of metallic rods or plates, and which ismade-in two or more parts jointed or hinged, to each' other, so thatthey may be folded together in one direotioinuhile they cannot pass inthe other direction farther than to be in a straight line with eachother. This may be done by stop-pins in the one part, moving in curvedslots in the other part, as shown in iig. 2. To the 'ranie A, at each ofits corners, are attached straps or cords,`B, by means of hooks or ringspassing through holes formed in the said frame, as shown in figs. I, 2,and 3. The upper ends of the cords or straps B are attached to a ring,C, to which ring is also attached an adjustable cord, D, by securing itto er passing it through a loop attached to said ring. The cord D ismade adjustable hy means of the slide cr buckle E to which one end ofthe said cord is attached, while thc other end is passed tivo or moretimes through holes formed in thc said slide, so that by loosening thecord in the slide, the said slide may be moved up or down, and theheight at which the `cradle is suspended be adjusted .at pleasure. isthe bottom or cover of the cradle or couch, which should be made ofcloth, or equivalent material, and which is secured to the frame A byhooks attached to the under side of said cover, and which hool: upon theedge of the frame A, as shown in iigs. 2 and 3.- The cover F should beput on so loose as to bag or hong down within the frame A far enough toprevent the child or other person lying init from falling out. The couchor cradle may be suspended `trono the ceiling of a room er the roof' ofa car, by means of en eye-bolt or hook screwed into the said ceiling orroof, and to which the cord-or strap is attached. By means of this couchor cradle, persons travelling with small children may save themselvesand others from much annoyance, and their children from much uneasinessand worrying hy taking one of these cradles with thcm,`and suspending itwhen required from the roof of the car, where it may be adjusted toswing above the heads of the passengers, audthus be entirely ont of theway. When used at home, and for larger children or grown persons, itmay, when not in use, be drawn up against the ceiling, soaslto beentirely out of thc Way, thus greatly economizing space. If desired, thestraps or cords upon one side of. the france may be replaced by bars orrods, having hooks or eyes formed upon their upper ends, so that it maybe suspended from and against the wall of a room or the side'of' a car.But I prefer the construction rst described.

I claiznas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-,-

An improved portable suspended couch or cradle formed by the combinationof thejoirnted frame A, removable cover or bottoni Il', straps or cordsB, and adjustable cordor strap D, and slide or buckle E u'i'th eachother, substantially as heroin shown and described, and for the purposeset forth.

The above speciication of my invention signed by me, this 2d day ofDecember, 1867.

ROBERT HALE.

Witnesses:

J. C. MCMULLIN, SAML L. WHIPPLE.

